Thursday, January 20, 2011

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

Lucy Wiltshire is managing Saving Grace, a home for 13 homeless girls, who age 18 and above. They cannot go to shelter because they are considered as adult at age of 18, but they are not capable to live by themselves yet. They still need to attend school, and then they need to get a job before they can be on their own. Lucy has been putting a lot of effort on Saving Grace. She wants to help the girls. However running a non profit is not as easy. Lucy has to worry about the funding. The biggest contributor, Sinclair Hotel has just cut down the donation to Saving Grace due to poor performance of the group. And now Lucy has to make sure she get enough fund else Saving Grace won't last for more than 6 months.

Alex Sinclair was a famous football star. He quit due to his injury. Then he decided to run for the First Congressional District of South Carolina for some personal reason. However his playboy image while he was the football star does not make him any good. He has to change his image in order to secure his vote. He has decided to ask Lucy to be his fake fiancé, and she will get paid a lump sum of money after the election is over.

At the same time, Lucy's ex-boyfriend, Matthew Campbell who has left her two years ago, has come back for her. Lucy would very much go back to Matt, but her desperate need of the money to keep Saving Grace, made her left no choice but to agree with Alex to become his fake fiancé.

Save the Date is a heart warming and touching story. It is more than just a romance. Lucy could not accept after she found out who is her real father. She struggles to face and forgive her grandmother, a person she hates since she was very young. She feel guilty has to lie to the people around her, as she cannot tell them her relationship with Alex are not real. And it is a big sacrifice for her, to give up her happiness for the 13 girls in Saving Grace. She actually wanted to get married with Matt if not because of the money issue.

On the other hand, Alex has his own problems too. He does not run for the congress for himself. And he is desperate to win to show others he's not just a playboy football star.

Again, the spiritual content in the book made me ponder a lot. This is a very good book.

I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

Note: I receive the ARC of this book from the publisher Thomas Nelson via Net Gallery.